PHOENIX – Arizona Congressmen Jeff Flake and Paul Gosar have endorsed Wes Gullett for Mayor of Phoenix, adding to a broad-based coalition that now includes all Republican members of Arizona’s congressional delegation.

“I am proud to endorse Wes Gullett for Mayor,” Flake said. “Taxpayers deserve a government they can afford. Wes will control spending and bring fiscal sanity to Phoenix City Hall.”

“The leadership of Phoenix is critical to the vitality of our entire state. That’s why I’m endorsing Wes Gullett for Phoenix Mayor,” Gosar said. “Wes has a detailed Seven Point Jobs Plan that will help attract new businesses and industries to our state. At a time when so many are struggling, Wes understands that it’s critical to get people back to work and keep government spending under control.”

“I’m honored to have the endorsements of Congressmen Flake and Gosar,” Gullett said. “I look forward to partnering with them to bring high-quality jobs to the entire region, which will help Phoenix.”

PHOENIX – It’s time for Greg Stanton to explain the increasingly troubling pattern of lies and distortions radiating from his campaign and supporters.

Just yesterday, Stanton was busted for the latest time for making an outrageous and unsubstantiated claim that Wes Gullet used his position on the Planning and Zoning Commission to benefit a client. The Arizona Republic Fact Checkers gave that claim Zero stars and called it “misleading.”

“If Greg Stanton can’t tell the truth to voters in this campaign, what should we expect from him if he’s elected Mayor?” Gullett said. “Attack ads and mailers based on Greg’s lies have been universally knock-down by the local media, yet he continues to mislead the public. He’s lost all credibility and it’s time for him to explain his lies.”

Just a few of the mistruths from Stanton and his supporters that have been busted in recent days:

Wes Gullett will challenge the status quo; Stanton will be controlled by unions

PHOENIX – Escalating public pension costs, no police chief, taxes on the food we buy.

Phoenix needs new leadership, and today’s morning newspaper is just another reminder of why we need a Mayor who will take on the public employee unions and challenge the status quo.

It’s the labor unions who are stalling progress at City Hall. And with their organizations pouring thousands of dollars into electing Greg Stanton, only Wes Gullett has the ability to stand up for Phoenix taxpayers and reform city government.

“We need to take action. We need a sense of urgency,” Gullett said.

Food tax continues to hurt families

Last night, the City Council rejected a move to repeal the food tax. As Mayor, Wes Gullett will provide the critical fifth vote to repeal this tax. Greg Stanton is stalling action and finding excuses to keep the tax, even as Mayor Phil Gordon – a Stanton-backer – admitted “I don’t deny that there’s money that can be found in our budget.” Just more evidence of Stanton’s misaligned priorities.

“Phoenix taxpayers who are struggling in this economy continue to pay the price for taxpayer giveaways to the unions and a lack of leadership at City Hall,” Gullett said. “Once elected, I will be the fifth vote to repeal the food tax, and I’ve put forward a detailed plan to pay for it without impacting vital city services.”

Cost of pension soaring

Today’s Republic reports that for the second straight year in a row, Phoenix residents will pay more than $100 million to maintain the city’s ailing pension system. Costs will rise $3.6 million next fiscal year, bringing the cost to $110 million.

Only Wes Gullett has put forward a comprehensive plan to take-on the public employee unions and reform this system for the long-term, transitioning city employees to a 401K. His plan was cited in endorsements from both the Arizona Republic and the Ahwatukee Foothills News.

Greg Stanton has failed to put forward a plan that deals with the fundamental problems with our pension system, preferring to kick the can down the road.

“Gullett recognized from the beginning the need to reform the city’s unsustainable pension system, something Stanton was slow to accept. While Stanton takes a cautious, go-slow approach, Gullett presses for making the transition to a 401(k)-style plan,” the Republic wrote. “His leadership is more likely to bring the changes necessary to give employees a good retirement plan without overburdening taxpayers.”

Phoenix still doesn’t have a police chief

The former police chief of Phoenix resigned months ago, yet the search for a replacement has barely begun. Phoenix has had an “acting police chief” since early March. Gullett called for a national search to begin at that time. While Stanton won’t commit on this issue, he has outlined more than 40 ways to grow government on his own Web site.

“The most sacred responsibility of government is public safety,” Gullett said. “If we do not feel safe in our homes, our places of work, schools and public venues we cannot succeed as a city in the long-term.”

Greg Stanton and his allies have proven they will say or do anything to protect the status quo. Even the Arizona Republic has said the ads they are running are flat out lies. Don’t let them get away with it. Vote for Wes Gullett for Mayor and let’s repeal the food tax and get Phoenix working again.

PHOENIX – Career-politician Greg Stanton says he has no connection with Phoenix Citizens United and Educate Phoenix, groups running ads smearing Wes Gullett that have been called “lies” by the Arizona Republic editorial page and labeled “false” by the Republic Fact Checkers.

But for the second time, these groups are using materials supplied by the Stanton campaign in their desperate attempt to stop reform at City Hall.

A new ad (attached) on the airwaves includes video footage taped by a Stanton staffer, Chase Williams, at a Gullett event from September.

Williams obtained the footage used in the group’s latest ad at a September 10th Gullett meet and greet at the Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee. Williams is pictured in this photo taping the event. Previously, these groups have used false information from Stanton press releases after they were removed from Stanton’s Web site for lies.

“Greg Stanton and the unions will clearly go to any length to protect the status quo, their $3.7 million taxpayer subsidies and stand in the way of reform,” Gullett said. “Greg Stanton has called for transparency – well, now it’s time for Greg Stanton to be transparent about his coordination with these two groups that are lying to Phoenix voters.”

On October 15, a Stanton spokesman told the Republic “there isn’t any connection between the political-action committee and the campaign.”

Then why is a staffer providing footage to the group?

In addition to Greg Stanton’s lie, the group’s lies have been repeatedly knocked down by the Arizona Republic.

And in today’s Republic, columnist Laurie Roberts writes: “Phoenix Citizens United – whoever that is — has teamed up with Educate Phoenix – whatever that is — to basically lie to you in hopes of scuttling Wes Gullett’s bid to be mayor.”

PHOENIX – The Arizona Republictoday completely knocked-down statements made by career-politician Greg Stanton, and now by an independent group supporting him. The Republic went so far as to call the claims “lies.”

Wes Gullett is calling on the ad to be removed and for Stanton to stop deceiving the public.

The statements, used in a television ad paid for by an independent group supporting Stanton, originated in press releases and public statements made by Stanton. And they are repeated in a mail piece being paid for by Stanton himself.

“There just is no other way to say it: In asserting that Gullett lobbied the Phoenix council for a $100 million tax to benefit the arts, the ad lies. It also contends Gullett voted on the Phoenix Planning and Zoning Commission on behalf of a client, yet another lie,” the Republic wrote.

The editorial continues: “As The Republic’s Lynh Bui reported earlier this month, however, the Stanton campaign in August issued news releases alleging some of the same claims asserted in the TV ads funded by Phoenix Citizens United.”

“These outrageous claims have now been repeatedly knocked-down by independent journalists,” said Wes Gullett. “It’s time for Greg Stanton and his allies to stop deceiving the public and stick to the facts. Intentionally lying to the voters is not a good sign of how someone will operate as Mayor.”

“We cannot trust Greg Stanton to deliver on his promise of transparency”

PHOENIX – Wes Gullett is calling on Greg Stanton to stop spending tainted campaign money until he explains how thousands of dollars were secretly funneled into his campaign without ever being disclosed.

The Arizona Guardian reports this morning that the city is looking into the legality of Stanton taking a $3,000 contribution – more than six times the legal limit – and never even reporting it. The city clerk says they didn’t know about the money until a complaint was filed late last week, according to the Guardian.

“This revelation raises new questions and follows an alarming lack of transparency by Greg Stanton,” said Gullett. “We cannot trust Greg Stanton to deliver on his promise of transparency when he is not even transparent on his own campaign filings.”

Answers on this matter are long overdue. This is the first time the public has learned that Stanton has received a total of $80,000 in contributions stemming from money that was stolen from his account. Last month, the Arizona Republic first reported that in addition to a repayment of $77,000, other money was also funneled into Stanton’s account.

Despite promises of transparency, Stanton has yet to file any disclosures of how he received the $77,000 or this new $3,000. So far, Stanton has even ignored the advice of his own attorney’s on how to disclose the contributions.

Gullett has called on Stanton to come forward about the details of these transactions for months.

Additionally, Stanton never explained what happened to an additional $14,000 that disappeared from his campaign account.

“Wes Gullett understands the issues facing law enforcement. He’ll help us rigorously enforce the law and be a partner in keeping Phoenix safe from gangs and drug cartels,” Montgomery said. “Please join me in supporting Wes Gullett for Mayor.”

“I’m thrilled to have the support of Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. He’s been a leader in prosecuting criminals and keeping our community safe. I look forward to partnering with him to keep Phoenix residents safe,” Gullett said.

Gullett has spoken at length about the need to keep Phoenix safe and support law enforcement. In particular, he has pledged to finally begin the process of hiring a police chief.

PHOENIX – Phoenix city bureaucrats have been forced to explain where more than $200 million in unaccounted taxpayer dollars are being spent in response to questions raised by Mayoral candidate Wes Gullett.

A report in this morning’s Arizona Republic includes an alarming discovery that the city has budgeted a 10 percent increase in spending – $230 million – despite claims that the budget would only increase by 1 percent. The city was forced to explain how this slush fund will be spent, only after Gullett raised the issue.

Amazingly, Stanton defends this practice and the status quo, calling Phoenix “not perfect – but well run” in a press release today.

“We can’t continue to play this shell game with taxpayer money,” Gullett said. “This is the game Greg Stanton played for nine years on the City Council and would continue to play as Mayor. It’s actually frightening that someone who wants to be Mayor would just believe everything city bureaucrats put in front of him and refuse to ask any tough questions.”

The story also outlines in detail Wes Gullett’s plan to immediately repeal the food tax and pay for it. Gullett outlines specific savings for finding more than the $50 million needed to repeal that tax. Stanton continues to find excuses to keep the tax on the books for at least another two years, removing money from the economy and hurting families who are struggling to get by.

“I’ve put forward specific plans to get rid of the food tax and pay for it,” Gullett said. “Greg Stanton refuses to because he needs this tax to pay for his big government agenda.”

DEBUNKING ADThe Republic also debunks an attack ad against Gullett that is airing on television based on erroneous press releases by the Stanton campaign.

The story knocks down an oft-repeated claim by Stanton that Gullett is lobbying for a $100 million tax for the arts. “Gullett isn’t lobbying for the tax,” the story states.

Additionally, the story highlights that Gullett never worked for the Phoenix Association of Realtors, despite claims by the Stanton campaign that he did.

In fact, the only candidate in this race who has voted to benefit a client he was being paid by was Greg Stanton, as reported by the Republic in a separate 2007 investigation. According to the story, Stanton actually voted eight times to benefit his client, and even used his office and taxpayer resources to profit – a violation of state law.

“Stanton also used city email, newsletters and meetings to talk up partnerships among Phoenix, the Maricopa colleges and Arizona universities,” the Republic reported. While getting paid by his client, Stanton made sure to put himself in positions where he could have influence over pet college causes. He chaired the council’s education committee and sat on the panel advising GateWay Community College.

It’s not clear whether Stanton ever stopped these practices before quitting his job on the Council. Once caught, Stanton actually defended the unethical practices, despite an outside expert telling the Republic, he was “not acting impartially.”

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